Openable roof for railway car



Aug. 29, 1961 J. MALAPERT OPENABLE ROOF FOR RAILWAY CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 2'7, 1959 W WM 1961 J. MALNPERT 2,997,967

OPENABLE ROOF FOR RAILWAY CAR Filed May 2'7, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug.29, 1961 J. MALAPERT OPENABLE ROOF FOR RAILWAY CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed May 27, 1959 //V(/W J WwM Aug. 29, 1961 J. MALAPERT OPENABLE ROOFFOR RAILWAY CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 27, 1959 Aug. 29, 1961 J.MALAPERT 2,997,967

OPENABLE ROOF FOR RAILWAY CAR Filed May 27, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5nananmlZ 2,997,967 OPENABLE ROOF FOR RAILWAY CAR Jean Malapert,Besancon, Doubs, France, assignor to Etablissements Ad. Mischier(S.A.R.L.), Doubs, France,

a company of France Filed May 27, 1959, Ser. No. 816,167 Claimspriority, application France May 30, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 105377) Thepresent invention relates to railway cars or wagons provided with anopenable roof device and more especially to open railway cars, i.e. carsof the kind in which the floor is bordered by two longitudinal wallsconnecting between them the end walls, the assembly constituting anopen-topped body.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an openable roof devicefor a car which is water-tight and rain-proof and give a good protectionfor the goods housed in the car when the latter is stored in the open inbad weather.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rain-proof openableroof device for a car which can be rolled up from one of the ends of thecar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rainproof openable roofdevice for a car having a structure permitting an easy flow of the rainwater outside of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide an openable roof devicefor a car having a mechanical strength high enough for permittingseveral attendants to travel upon, and which is rain-proof and made ofjointed elements transversely disposed and adapted to be rolled up on awinding drum located at one longitudinal end of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide an openable roof devicefor a car made of jointed element which is brought to its closedposition by a pull exerted on the leading element, the other elementsbeing drawn in turn by the successive elements lying ahead.

Another object of the invention is to provide an openable roof devicefor a car made of jointed elements capable of being rolled up about awinding drum, which is brought to its closed position by a pull exertedon the leading element, and is drawn back to its opened position by apull exerted on the trailing element.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an openable roofdevice for a car which is rain-proof and which may be brought to itsopened and closed positions through positive controls.

Another object of the invention is to provide an openable roof devicewhich is automatically and positively locked in its closed position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an openable rootdevice for a car having the characteristics herein above specified,further ensuring inviolability of the contents of the car by havingmeans for placing leads or seals.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partly sectioned elevation of a first form of waggoncomprising an openable roof in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section view, on an enlarged scale, showingdetails of the screens of the waggon of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a partly sectioned elevation of a second form of Waggoncomprising an openable roof in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 5 is a schematic perspective view of the various control andlocking means for one screen of the Waggon of FIGURE 4.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are sections, on an enlarged scale, taken along thelines VIVI and V-IIVII, respectively, of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 8 is a schematic perspective view of an end of the Waggon ofFIGURE 4. I

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, the openable roof is formedin two parts A and B each constituting a movable screen.

Along the longitudinal walls 1a and 1b of the Waggon are fixed channels2a, 2b the flanges of which are directed upwardly.

On the end walls 3a, 3b of the Waggon are fixed brackets 4a, 411 forsupporting drums 5a, 5b. -On these drums are fixed the ends 6a, 6b ofthe screens A and B, respectively, which screens rest, by their lowerfaces, on the flanges of the channels 2a, 2b (FIGURE 2). Preferably thesupporting drums 5a, 5b are provided in a usual manner with returndevices tending to make the drums rotate in the direction of the arrowsf for automatically winding the screens on their supporting drums whenno action is exerted on said screens.

The side edges 6 of these screens are engaged under the horizontalflanges of angles 7a, 7b disposed parallel to the channels 2a, 2b andfixed to supports 8a, 8b secured to the walls la, 112.

Each of the parts A and B of the openable roof is formed from shapedelements, as shown in FIGURE 3. These elements which extend across theentire width of the Waggon, as shown in FIGURE 2, are provided at one oftheir ends with a portion 9 which is folded twice at right angles and attheir other end with an inverted trough like porton 10. The portion 9 ofan element is engaged in the trough lit of the adjacent element so thatthe movement of an element in the direction F (FIGURE 3) or in theopposite direction causes a movement in the same direction of thejuxtaposed elements. This junction between the elements works in ahinge-like manner, allowing an element to take up a slanting poistion inrelation to the adjacent elements. In particular it allows the windingup of the elements on their drum as shown in FIGURE 1, in which thescreen B is shown wound up on its drum 5b.

Individual operation of the screens A and B is ensured by a controlmeans for each of them, each control means comprising an endless chain11a, 11b, respectively, passing over pulleys 12a, 12b and over a controlwheel 13a, 13b capable of being actuated by a handle. The ends 14a, 14bof the screens are secured to the upper flights of the chains 11a, 11b.Actuation of the wheels 13a, 13b in the direction of the arrows f causesmovement of the screens A and B in the direction of the arrows F, whichallows the return devices of the drums 5a, 5b to come into action andwind up the corresponding screen on its drurn, thus ensuring the openingof the Waggon. Actuation of the wheels 13a, 13b in a direction oppositeto the arrows causes unwinding of the screens A and B to bring them intothe position of closing the Waggon. Rainwater received on the screens isevacuated by running out directly along the side edges 6 of the screensA and B. The arrangement of the channels 2a, 2b and angles 7a, 7b formsa bafile and prevents the water from dripping the interior of theWaggon.

- It is advantageous to provide between the flanges of each channelsection 2a, 2b a filling formed of a strip of spongy or absorbingmaterial 15a, 15b, the said filling extending throughout the length ofthe channel sections these channel sections.

In order to obtain a suitable water-tightness between the two parts ofthe roof, there may be provided a supple joint 16 (see FIGURE 3) carriedby the end element 17 of one of the screens which comes into contactwith'the suitably shaped end element 18 of the other screen. A gutter 19may be provided under the joint to ensure the outflow of water at theside edges of the roof. In addition a joint cover 20 may be fixed to oneof the screens. Any kind of normal closing device (not shown) such as abolt or lugs for padlocks, may, of course, be provided if desired, tooppose the opening of the roof.

By reason of the folded section or ribbed form of the elements formingthe parts A and B of the openable roof, which elements are preferablymade of sheet iron,

jected, which deformationsmay be very considerable.

In a modified form of the above described car, a pull is positivelyexerted on one or the other ends of the screen during the opening andclosing movements thereof, said ends being respectively secured to anendless flexible control member and to the winding drum which may beselectively coupled to an operating mechanism or disengaged therefrom.In such a case the coil-springs provided in the winding drums forrotating the drums in the direction opening the screens are no longeressential parts of the structure and can be dispensed with.

v Referring now to FIGURES 48, the winding drum 22 of each of thescreens A and B is connected by a chain 23 to a wheel 24 mounted looselyon a shaft 25. On this shaft'25, which constitutes the control shaftpreviously referred to, is keyed a wheel 26 which can be driven manuallyas will be described hereinafter.

On the shaft there is also keyed against rotation a sliding sleeve 27comprising on its end faces dogs 28 and 29 opposite dogs 30 and 31provided on a wheel 32 mounted loosely on shaft 25 and the wheel 24,respectively. V

The sliding sleeve 27 may be moved axially along the shaft 25 by meansof a collar 33. The latter is provided with two rods 34 engaged inelongated slots formed in two levers 35a, 35b keyed to a common shaft36. The end of shaft 36 passes out to the exterior of the casing 21a (or21b) and is provided with a hand lever 37 (see in particular the leftpart of FIGURE 4). By actuating the hand lever 37 in the direction ofthe arrow i coupling of the sleeve 27 with the wheel 24 is effected,while actuation of the hand lever 37 in the direction of the arrow fbrings the sleeve 27' into mesh with the wheel 32. a

The end 350 of the lever 35b is pivotally connected to one end of a bar38, the other end of the latter being pivotally connected to a lever 39.The latter is keyed to a shaft 40a terminating in a hand lever 40. Thebar 38 may be moved longitudinally in the direction of the arrow or,conversely, in the direction of the arrow i either by actuating the handlever 37 disposed in the region of the longitudinal wall 1a of theWaggon (FIGURE 8) or by actuating the hand lever 40 disposed in theregion of the other longitudinal wall 1b of the Waggon.

Actuation of the bar 38 in the direction of the arrow f5 has for itseffect to couple the wheel 24 with the shaft '25, while actuation in thedirection of the arrow i causes coupling of the shaft 25 with the wheel32.

r A chain 41 is mounted on the wheel 26 and passes over a wheel'42, atension roller 43 and a driving Wheel 44.

4 The wheel 42 is secured to a shaft 42a on which there is keyed a bevelpinion 45. The latter meshes with another pinion 46 keyed to a shaft 46awhich terminates in a crank handle 47.

The driving wheel 44 has its shaft 44a secured to a crank handle 48passing out through the wall 1a of the Waggon while the crank handle 47passes out through the end wall of the Waggon in the region of the handlever 37. The shaft 44a extends throughout the width of the Waggon andterminates in a crank handle 49 disposed on the exterior of the wall 1bof the Waggon (FIGURE 8). In addition, on the shaft 46a is keyed a wheel50 on which is mounted a chain 59a passing over another wheel 51 keyedon a shaft 52 which terminates in a crank handle 53. The wheel 26, andwith it the shaft 25, may be driven either by utilising one of the crankhandles 47 and 48 disposed towards one of the sides of the Waggon or oneof the crank handles 49 and 53 disposed towards the other side of theWaggon.

A chain 54, which is subjected to the action of a tension roller 55, ismounted on the wheel 32 and a pinion 56. The latter is keyed on a shaft56a having secured at its two extremities wheels 57 each carrying anendless chain 58 passing over a counter pulley 59a (or 59b) (see FIGURE4). On each of the chains 58 is secured the corresponding front elementof the screen A or B in the same way as for the chains 11a and 11b inFIG- URE 1.

Each of the screens A and B comprises two cups 61, as shown in FIGURES 5and 7, these cups providing bolt-holes to receive the end of slidingrods 62 constituting bolts for immobising the screen in the closedposition.

Each of the bolts comprising a rod 62 is constructed as shown in FIGURE7. The rod 62 is provided at its upper end with a roller 63. The lowerpart of the rod is hollow and receives the end of a rod 64 comprising apin 67a engaged in an elongated hole 62a in the rod 62. The latterterminates in a flange 62b against which bears one end of a spring 65.The other end of the spring 65 bears against a plate 66 in which the rod64 slides. The rod 64 comprises a second pin 67b engaged in an elongatedhole 68 disposed at an angle to the horizontal in the coupling bar 38.

The operation of the mechanism described above takes place as followsfor each of the screens A and B:

Let it be assumed that the screen is in the closed position (Le. theposition of the screen A in FIGURE 4). If it is desired to bring thescreen to the open position, one of the hand levers 37 and 40 is firstactuated to its end position in the direction of the arrow A (FIGURE 5).The result of this is to move the coupling bar 38 in the direction ofthe arrow f Thus the sliding sleeve 27 is brought into mesh with thewheel 24 and the rods 64 are moved downwardly in the direction of thearrow f by the inclined holes 68. The rods 62 are themselves lowered bythe pins 67a engaging the lower ends of the elongated holes 62a, the endof each rod 62 thus being disengaged from the corresponding cup 61, andthe screen is unbolted.

If now one of the crank handles 47 and 53 is actuated in the directionof therarrow h, or one of the crank handles 48 and 49 is actuated in thedirection of the arrow f the wheel 26 is driven, and as a result thewheel 24 is driven in the direction of the arrow f (FIGURE 5). The drum22 is therefore driven in the direction to wind up the screen and thelatter is brought to the open position in which the rollers 63 aremaintained spaced away from the lower face of the screen by the actionof the inclined holes 68.

To reclose the screen, one of the hand levers 37 and 40 is firstactuated to its end position in the direction of the arrow f (FIGURE 5).This has for its effect, on the one hand, to couple the sliding sleeve27 and the shaft 25 with the wheel 32 and, on the other hand, to

move the coupling bar 38 in the direction of the arrow i The inclinedholes 68 act on the pins 67b to cause upward displacement of the rods64. In this displacement the pins 67a slide in the elongated holes 62aof the rods 62, the latter being held in position by the rollers 63being urged elastically against the lower surface of the screen.

By actuating one of the crank handles 47 and 53- in the direction of thearrow f or one of the crank handles 48 and 49 in the direction of thearrow f rotation of the shaft 25 is effected and as a result the wheel32 rotates in the direction opposite to that of the arrow i The chain 54transmits this movement to the shaft 56a and as a result the chains 58are moved in the direction of the arrow to close the screen.

When the forward edge of the screen comes to the end of its closingmovement the cups 61 will be brought opposite the rods 62. The latter,under the action of the springs 65, which have been maintained undercompression since the hand levers 37 and 40 were brought to their limitpositions in the direction of the arrow 12,, will enter into the cups 61for bolting the screen in the closed position.

The hand levers 37 and 40 may be constrained to rest in the limitposition in the direction of the arrow f by any suitable locking meanssuch as seals or the like to keep the screen locked in its closedposition.

Of course modifications may be made to the embodiments of the inventionwhich have been described above, in particular by the substitution ofequivalent mechanical means, without thereby departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the ensuing claims.

What I claim is:

1. An open railway car provided with a movable roof device comprising incombination, on each side of the car, a guide rail constituted of achannel bar secured on the top of the side wall of the car with itsflanges directed upwards and of an angle iron longitudinally disposedwith a horizontal flange parallel and above the tips of the flanges ofsaid channel bar and with its other flange vertical and locatedoutwardly from said side wall; a screen formed of transversely disposedelements jointed and coupled together, each element consisting of ashaped panel having its trailing edge folded twice at right angles,first upwardly then in the forward direction, and its leading edgeforming an inverted trough-like portion engaging the folded trailingedge of the ahead adjacent element, said screen lying with its flatunderside on the flanges of said channel bar with its side endsextending past the outermost flange of each channel bar, terminating asmall distance from the inner surfaces of the vertical flanges of saidangle irons, and being loosely engaged under the lower surfaces of thehorizontal flanges of said angle irons; a winding drum transverselysupported at one of the longitudinal ends of the car, means for securingthe last element of said screen to said winding drum; an endless chainon each side of the car; a driving shaft horizontally and transverselysupported at the end of said car supporting said winding drum; a pair ofdriving sprocket wheels keyed on either end of said shaft; idle rollersconveniently secured on each side wall of said car and adapted tosupport said chains and to guide each of them from one of said sprocketwheels in a path comprising a pair of runs parallelly disposed with eachside end of said screen and between said screen and the vertical flangeof said adjacent angle iron; and means for securing the leading elementof said screen on each side thereof to one of the runs of said chainsmoving in the same direction.

2. An open railway car provided with a movable roof device as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising a strip of spongy or absorbent materialdisposed between the flanges of each of said channel bars and fillingsaid channels up to the lower side of said screen, said strips extendingthroughout the length of said bars thus eliminating all possibility forthe water of passing into the car.

3. An open railway car provided with a movable roof device as claimed inclaim 1, in which said screen is divided in two similar portions, awinding drum being transversely supported at each longitudinal end ofthe car and adapted to wind and unwind one of said screen portionsrespectively; the control mechanism comprising the pair of chains,driving shaft, sprocket wheels, idle rollers and means securing theleading element of the screen being duplicated and arrangedsymmetrically on each longitudinal end of the car, said meanscooperating respectively with the leading element of each screen portionmoving from one end of the car to the median plane approximately of saidcar and with the runs of the adjacent pair of chains moving in thisdirection; one of said leading elements carrying a strip of flexiblesealing material and the other leading element having its front surfaceshaped to fit with said strip of sealing material.

4. An open railway car provided with a movable roof device as claimed inclaim 3 further comprising on the front end of one of said leadingelements a gutter disposed under said strip of flexible sealing materialextending along the whole width of said screen ensuring the outflow ofwater at the side edges of said roof.

5. An open railway car provided with a movable roof device comprising incombination, on each side of the car, a guide rail constituted of achannel bar secured on the top of the side wall of the car with itsflanges directed upwards and of an angle iron longitudinally disposedwith a horizontal flange parallel and above the tips of the flanges ofsaid channel bar and with its other flange vertical and locatedoutwardly from said side wall; a pair of screens moving longitudinallyin opposed directions,

each of said screens being formed of transversely disposed elementsjointed and coupled together, each element consisting of a shaped panelhaving its trailing edge folded twice at right angles, first upwardlythen in the forward direction, and its leading edge forming an invertedtroughlike portion engaging the folded trailing edge of the aheadadjacent element, said screens lying with their flat undersides on theflanges of said channel bars with their side ends extending past theoutermost flange of each channel bar, terminating a small distance fromthe inner surfaces of the vertical flanges of said angle irons, andbeing loosely engaged under the lower surfaces of the horizontal flangesof said angle irons; a winding drum for each screen, said drums beingtransversely supported at each of the longitudinal ends of the carrespectively; and for each assembly comprising one of said screens andits cooperating drum a control mechanism selectively operating theleading element of its screen, for drawing said element in the closingdirection of said screen, and the winding drum for rolling up saidscreen on said drum during the opening of said screen, each controlmechanisrn comprising a driving shaft drivingly connected through achain-drive with a chain-wheel keyed on an intermediate shaft, a pair ofidler chain-wheels rotatably supported on said intermediate shaft, meansfor selectively coupling one or the other of said idler chain-wheelswith said intermediate shaft and simultaneously uncoupling the other ofsaid wheels, a first driving chain operatively connecting the first oneof said idler chain-Wheels to the winding-drum of said screen, a seconddriving chain operatively connecting the second of said idlerchain-wheels to a sprocket wheel keyed on a transverse shaftrotativelysupported at the upper part of the car end, a pair of similar sprocketwheels keyed on each end of said transverse shaft, a pair ofsprocket-chains passing on said similar sprocket wheels and extendingparallel to said screen up to a loose roller located adjacent thetransverse middle plane of said car, means for securing each of saidsprocket chains to the leading element of said screen, means foroperating said selective coupling means and coupling one or the other ofsaid first and second idler 7 vided in one of the elements of saidscreen, a bolt cooperating w-ith each cup and its aligned aperture inthe screen comprising a vertical rod provided with a roller at its upperend, urged upwards by spring means and guided vertically in a positionin alignment with said cup and aperture when said screen is in itsclosed position, said rod being tubular at least on its lower portionfor accommodating a second rod telescoping in said tubular portion, thewall of said tubular portion having an elongated hole therethroughparallel to the axis of said rod, a first pin secured to said second-rodextending through said elongated hole, a second'pin secured to saidsecond rod extending'at right angles to said second rod in a positionbelow said spring means acting on said tubular rod, said second pincooperating with a cam surface operated by said means operatingselectively said coupling means associated with said first and secondidler chain-wheels for coupling one or the other of said wheels withsaid intermediate shaft, said cam surface being adapted to lower saidsecond pin when the chain-wheel coupled to said intermediate shaftcontrols the opening movement,

of the screen and to raise said second pin when the chainwheel coupledto said intermediate shaft controls the closing movement of the screen,whereby said first pins are moved'upwards in said elongated holes whensaid means are disposed in the closing position and the rollers providedat the upper ends of said bolts are kept in rolling engagement with theunderside of said screen by the action of said spring means till thecups secured on the upper surface of said screen are brought inalignment with said bolts.

7; An open railway car provided with a movable roof device as claimed inclaim 3 in which each of said winding drums is loosely supported on ashaft transversely secured in a fixed position at each end respectivelyof said car, and is provided with a spring return device for rotatingsaid drum in its winding direction for winding one screen portionthereof when said control mechanism is operated in that directiontending to move said leading element of said screen portion from itsclosed position adjacent the median plane of said car to its openposition at the end of the car where said drum is supported.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,274,789 Schedlbauer Aug. 6, 1918 1,598,471 Williams Aug. 31, 19261,937,540 Abel Dec. 5, 1933 2,167,306 Kundert July 25, 1939

